I have nothing to prove to Southend - Pat Baldwin

PAT Baldwin says he has nothing to prove to Southend United on Saturday and just wants to get a result against his former club to end Exeter City's poor run of form at home.

The 30-year-old defender joined City from Southend in the summer following a difficult spell at the club which saw him struggle to pin down a starting spot.

Baldwin admitted he had not done himself justice at Roots Hall last season, but says that will not be on his mind come kick-off.

"I haven't got anything to prove to them (Southend) at all," he said.

"In my first spell there, I did well. My second spell wasn't that successful in terms of playing games, but I was coming from a difficult period in my career at Colchester.

"I was just glad to get away from there and Southend gave me somewhere to go and get back into enjoying and just being a football player again.

"I wasn't completely fit so I didn't do myself justice, but Paul Sturrock was fantastic with me. He was completely honest and I appreciated that."

Baldwin added that when the fixture list came out in July the matches against Southend were not games he immediately sought out.

The former Chelsea trainee said at the time he was just looking forward to playing games again and that has not changed.

"I was just excited about the season and getting regular games," said Baldwin. "It wasn't a fixture I particularly looked at, but now that it has come about I'm excited. But I have been excited about every other game really.

"I'm still in touch (with a few Southend of the players) with a few texts. I played with Chris Barker at Colchester so I still keep in touch with him. It was a place I really enjoyed when I was there and I have got some fond memories of it."

City go into Saturday's match on the back of a poor run of form at home, which has seen them win just one of their last nine games at the Park.

And Baldwin admits Southend will make it hard to end that streak.

"I'm expecting a typical Paul Sturrock team, which is very organised, very strong and very determined," he said.

"It has been difficult for us at home, but we are working hard to change that. Our luck is going to change and hopefully it will be on Saturday.

"We do need to sort out the home form. We have come close one or two times to trying to change our luck, but we are just going to go into Saturday with the same mentality as we do our away performance and hopefully get a result.

"We are due a performance and result at home, we are just going to go out and give it our best shot."